MHPSS Officer

Position Title: MHPSS Officer

Department: Technical Unit

Location: North Carolina – Remote in Asheville, NC . Relocation support available

Key Relationships:

Reports to: MHPSS Lead

Direct Reports: None

Assignment Type: Full time – time-limited for 1 year

Number of Positions: 3

Compensation: $65,350 to $74,300 annually

Benefits: Click here to learn more about our benefits!

Application Requirements: Resume, completed application questions

About Americares:

Americares is a health-focused relief and development organization that saves lives and improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster. Each year, Americares reaches 85 countries on average, including the United States, with life-changing health programs, medicine, medical supplies, and emergency aid. Americares is one of the world’s leading nonprofit providers of donated medicine and medical supplies. For more information, visit americares.org.

Americares Values:

We create global community, treating people as they want to be treated.

We respond effectively and responsibly, putting plans into practice.

We embed ethics and equity in our work and workplace.

We are better together; partnership is at our core.

We ask and listen, to create sustainable solutions for a healthier tomorrow.

We commit to quality, growing and improving to ensure individuals and communities thrive.

About the position:

Based near Asheville, NC these 3 positions will support the mental health of healthcare workers, first responders, and social service workers through individual and group interventions and training and capacity building in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. This position will work across NC, SC, and TN to ensure hurricane survivors have the tools to protect their own mental health while supporting that of their patients and clients.

Key Outcomes:

In the first 90 days , the MHPSS Officer will:

• Learn and live the Americares values
• Complete all require d new hire onboarding training s
• Connect with pre-identified partner organizations in and around Asheville to begin MHPSS interventions that include but are not limited to decompression sessions, psychological debriefs, crisis stabilization and psychoeducational training s
• Work with the MHPSS Lead to identify data metrics to be captured during the project and how those will be tracked
• Develop plans with partners for progression of interventions from crisis stabilization to capacity building
  
  

In the first 6 months, the MHPSS Officer will:

• Work with multiple partners at different levels of intervention needs
• Identify and connect with potential new partners
• Identify additional needs and opportunities and develop intervention materials to support
  
  

In the first year, the MHPSS Officer will:

• Have met or exceeded the pre-identified targets for the project
• Work with partners to develop individual plans for continuation of the work
• Work with HQ MHPSS Lead and HQ Recovery Lead to identify any outstanding work or additional needs
  
  

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Actively model and contribute to Americares values, work culture and mission.
• Engage in and contribute to team spaces with openness, global competencies, and a growth mindset
  
  

MHPSS Direct Service Provision:

• Provide Psychological First Aid (PFA) to frontline healthcare workers, responders, and community members across North Carolina counties affected by Hurricane Helene.
• Facilitate individual and group debriefing sessions for healthcare workers, first responders, and volunteers to address burnout, emotional exhaustion, and vicarious trauma, ensuring emotional recovery support.
• Lead emotional decompression activities aimed at supporting the mental health of healthcare workers, first responders, and volunteers engaged in disaster response.
• Deliver crisis interventions for individuals experiencing acute emotional distress due to the impact of Hurricane Helene.
• Support capacity building by conducting psychoeducation sessions for both staff and community members, with a focus on stress management, coping strategies, and resilience building to partner organizations across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
• Lead Training of Trainers (TOT) programs to ensure the sustainability of MHPSS services beyond the initial response phase and to build local capacity for long-term mental health support.
• Develop and/or adapt training materials, curricula, psychoeducational resources, and other materials based on the identified needs of partners, when such topics are not already covered in existing Americares MHPSS content.
• If applicable, provide bilingual psychoeducation and support programs for Latino and Spanish-speaking communities to address specific cultural and linguistic needs.
• Offer remote debrief sessions for clinics or healthcare settings where in-person support is not feasible , ensuring access to mental health resources across all target areas.
• Travel within NC, SC, and TN. Provide remote support as needed for partners in Georgia and Florida.
  
  

MHPSS Outreach:

• Strengthen existing MHPSS services in designated regions by collaborating with local organizations, healthcare workers, responders, and community leaders to address mental health needs and provide ongoing support.
• Provide support in community settings, such as clinics, community centers, schools, and other relevant locations to best serve those impacted by the disaster.
• Coordinate referrals and linkages to external mental health and psychosocial services, ensuring comprehensive care for those in need.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
  
  

Degrees and/or experience required for the role:

• Master’s degree in psychology, social work, counseling, or related and licensure (LCMHC, LMFT, LCSW, Licensed Psychologist)
• Minimum of 3 years' experience in MHPSS programming, with significant experience in disaster or crisis settings
  
  

These competencies are required for the role:

• Proven experience in conducting training and providing psychological and psychosocial assistance in MHPSS contexts
• Experience coordinating MHPSS activities, including cross-functional collaboration between field and HQ
• Ability to work and travel in remote areas in relevant regions
• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team in fluid and high stress environments
• Strong knowledge of trauma-informed care and intervention techniques
• High level of cultural competency, particularly in working with diverse and underserved populations
  
  

US work authorization and a valid license is required for this role.

These competencies would be great to have, but are not required :

• Fluency in Spanish
  
  

Additionally, our core competencies as an organization are:

• Ownership and results
• Communication
• Problem solving
• Equity and inclusion
• Teamwork and conflict resolution
• Leadership
• Prioritization
• Management
• Strategy and planning
• Decision making
  
  

What you can expect , if you move forward in the recruitment process:

• Interview with People and Talent ( 1 hour )
• Competency exercise
• Video interview with team ( approximately 2 hours )
• Reference check
• Offer!
• Background check and onboarding
  
  

Americares is currently authorized to support remote work employees in the following locations: CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, MD, MA, NC, NJ, NY, OR, PA, Puerto Rico, TN, TX, VA, and WA. Please note that we do not provide relocation assistance at this time.

Americares is committed to ensuring safe and accountable workplaces and programs. Our code of conduct, organizational values, and policies and procedures help to safeguard the welfare of everyone working for and participating in Americares programs. Americares is committed to the prevention of all types of abuse, discrimination, harassment, and exploitation. Employment with Americares will be subject to appropriate screening, reference, credentials, and background checks. By applying to our organization, job applicants confirm their understanding of and consent to our procedures during recruitment, and to adhering to our values and commitment to safe and accountable workplaces and programs as an employee.

This job description may not be inclusive of all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described, and may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of Americares. At any point in the recruitment process, we may request additional information to confirm qualifications. Any misrepresentation of qualifications in any stage of the process will prevent the applicant from moving forward in the process.

If you have a specific request or need assistance to fully participate in the application or recruitment process, please email us at [email protected].